SOLON—Jordan Creek Church, which started as a small gathering in a living room just a few years ago, now is poised to become what church leaders hope is a cornerstone of the Solon community.
Rodney Hedge, the staff pastor of Jordan Creek Church, said the church’s primary mission is simple yet powerful: to serve and engage the community around them.
“We want to make an impact on this community,” Hedge said. “Whether it’s through a Sunday service or a youth group activity, we’re always looking for new ways to serve and be a light to others.”
This mission has driven the rapid growth of the nondenominational Christian church.
In 2017, there were about 25 members, and as of 2024 there is now an average of about 220 people who regularly attend services. Now, church leaders are planning a new building that will offer expanded spaces for worship, youth groups and community events.
They want to build a 16,000-19,000 square foot build- ing costing between $6.5 million and $7.5 million along Highway 382 west of Solon. The new building project has raised some concerns regarding its logistics since it is going to be built on land outside of Solon, which the city would have to annex. With this also comes the question of amenities, roads, water and sewage.
City administrator Cami Rassmussen said during a recent meeting that normally a proposal like this would be a no, but the church was going to “bypass the city’s process and work with the county to create a parcel.”
From the start, Jordan Creek has made its home wherever the community needed it. Meeting initially in one of the founding
members houses, the church quickly recognized they couldn’t keep meeting there and moved into a high school classroom. As the congregation continued to grow, they rented out the lobby of a local performing arts center before finally finding a home at the Solon Community Center.
But with the city’s plans to demolish the Community Center, the church needs to find a new home.
“It’s been a blessing not having a dedicated building,” Hedge said. “It’s allowed us to focus on what’s really important— outreach, service, and community connection.”
Jordan Creek plans to expand in a thoughtful, intentional way. The first phase of construction will include classrooms, a worship area, and a nursery—structures designed to foster the church’s mission. However, Hedge said the church will grow at a sustainable pace, only building what is necessary at the time and expanding as the community does.
Church leaders recognize the strain that building on the edge of town causes and hope to be able to work with the city to meet demands for both sides. With limited space for bigger venues this would give Jordan Creek the ultimate ability to carry out their missions for events like their youth group FUSE.
“I feel like our group is super tight-knit, and it carries outside of FUSE as well,” said Xander Bishop, 15, a sophomore at Solon High School, who has been attending the church since he was in sixth grade. FUSE has shaped his friendships and faith.
“It feels like a family when we’re here.” Xander said he and his friends spend time together at school, FUSE, and at least three more times a week outside of school as well. This connection, he believes, strengthens their relationship with one another and with God, creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable and supported.
“All my friends are here, and they’ve become my closest friends through church and through FUSE,” Xander said. “I feel like that just keeps me coming back, because I know there’s a good community.”
The church’s influence extends beyond its weekly services, drawing in community members who engage with its events, programs, and other opportunities. This welcoming environment has attracted members like Tim Thomsen, who has attended JCC for three years and volunteers for FUSE, supporting the youth boys.
“The people we see at church, the people we see at athletic competitions and other town activities—it’s neat to be able to integrate your everyday neighborly life with your faith life, and it’s just a neat opportunity, just neighbors doing life together,” Thomsen said.
Thomsen and Chase Moser, another member who also volunteers for FUSE, lead the roughly 150 kids who gather each week, fostering a space where faith and friendship intersect. They strive to create an environment where young people not only learn about their beliefs but also put them into practice in their daily lives.
“As followers of Jesus, we talk about a lot of things, about how to love our neighbors well, or about how to be a good disciple,” Moser said. “That’s all great when you’re reading it, but then you have to apply it, because the people that you’re going to church with are also the people that you’re living your life with.”
Looking toward the future, the people of the church are enthusiastic about the potential for their new building to make an even greater impact.
“ The best church building is the one that’s relevant seven days a week,” Thomsen said. “A building that can be used for frank church activities but also would be open as an asset to the community for meetings, gatherings, family reunions, and that kind of stuff, because there really isn’t an abundance of that kind of space in Solon.”
The church’s growth and expansion are a direct result of its unwavering commitment to the people it serves. And as Jordan Creek Church continues to grow and evolve, that sense of community will remain the heart of its mission—building a space for the community, not just physically but also emotionally and spiritually.
“We’re not just building a church; we’re building a family—a place where people can find hope, connection, and purpose,” said Hedge. “The building may be what we’re building, but it’s the people that make it a church.”